Posts for tag: Sochi Olympics

Our feet are one of the easiest places on our bodies to cover up – yet they are one of the most important! Typically, if we get a rash on our face or break one of our arms, we would go into the doctor’s office immediately. Why is it then that when we see a problem with our feet, we just put on socks and pretend it isn’t there? Just like with any other more visible ailment we might acquire, getting the proper medical attention as soon as possible is paramount to a quick and full recovery.

You know exactly what I mean, don’t you? Your toenails might be yellowing, or you might have a wound on your foot that refuses to close. It’s so easy to cover up our feet and think, “Out of sight, out of mind!” The fact of the matter is: just because our feet are the furthest away from our eyes, they can be the most important to examine. As scary as it may sound, if not treated in a timely manner, a festering diabetic wound can quickly lead to a limb amputation. And don’t forget, just because you don’t feel any pain associated with a visible foot problem does not mean that you can let it slide for a few weeks or months – oftentimes this can be indicative of a more serious peripheral neuropathy.

We just learned that this last week that Canadian hockey star Haley Wickenheiser won the gold medal at the Sochi Olympics playing on a broken foot. According to the Associated Press, Wickenheiser admits that she knew her foot was broken, but only just realized how serious of a break it was. Just like Haley not realizing how serious her condition is, you won’t know your true condition until you make an appointment with a podiatrist. You might have a stress fracture, Lisfranc injury, Jones Fracture, or even a calcaneal (heel-bone) fracture. Even though the hockey star was still able to grab the gold, many times we aren’t that lucky! She likely had the added benefit of being strapped into a hockey skate that immobilized her feet and ankles to avoid repetitive injury to her fracture site. So, unless you are about to play for the gold medal in the Olympics on hockey skates, make an appointment with your local podiatrist at Affiliated Foot and Ankle Care in Edison and Monroe NJ today!